Five Towns Letters to the Editor

Posted
Wednesday, May 15, 2013 11:23 am

Marcus and Herman get their votes

To the Editor: We definitely need more community-minded individuals on the Lawrence Board of Education. That is why I hope an overwhelming majority of people from the community turn out on Tuesday to elect Dov Herman and re-elect Rabbi Nahum Marcus. For the past six years, Rabbi Marcus has been the community’s most vocal, most independent advocate on this school board. He stands up for better education and is truly a champion for all of the district’s special needs children and their families. Herman and his wife, Vickie, are the parents of five children. She is a public school special education coordinator, which could help Mr. Herman to understand how best to help our special needs children, too. Additionally, Mr. Herman is a very experienced building inspector and successful small business owner. He is the best candidate to help the school board assess our district’s building infrastructures and grounds. I think Mr. Herman and Rabbi Marcus are the best people to serve our community and to do what’s right on our board. On Tuesday — skip over the rest and elect the best — vote Ballot Line C.

Moshe and Dina TeichmanCedarhurst

Supporting Herman and Marcus

To the Editor: Dov Herman, a community-member who led the fight against the Number Six School referendum, has been making a very persuasive case to represent the community on the Lawrence school board. Like Mr. Herman, I too believe that all children in our community deserve the best education and services we can afford to provide. Like Rabbi Nahum Marcus, I also believe we can never do too much to help our special-needs children to succeed in school and life. Mr. Herman also seems very committed to stabilizing our property taxes. Our current school board members used short-term tricks to keep our taxes artificially stable for a few years. This year, these devices failed, and we are being saddled with a tax increase. The mere presence of men like Mr. Herman and Rabbi Marcus can only help raise the level of responsiveness and accountability to our community by most other board members. Right now, our school board is not excelling in either department! With their presence on the board, we are assured a board that operates in a transparent and open manner, and does not make “backroom deals” in smoke filled rooms. I know both of these gentlemen. I trust both of these gentlemen. I know that they have the integrity to expose the wasteful spending and duplicate services that drive up our school taxes. Why should anybody’s taxes go up as a result of waste and mismanagement? Don’t forget that the present school board almost led us into disaster with the Simone medical center that they approved for the Number Six School. It was people such as Dov Herman who led the fight against the sale that was so successful. Herman and Rabbi Marcus need your help in order to continue to work for you. On Tuesday, please join me in voting Line C on the school board ballot to elect Mr. Herman and re-elect Rabbi Marcus.

Dr. Alex Sternberg Woodmere

Another vote for Marcus

To the Editor: It seems that national elections are not the only contentious ones. Since moving to the Five Towns I have observed how school board elections bring out the worst in some people. That is too bad because we should all be concerned about electing the candidates who will work for the benefit of all the children in the district, be they public, private or special-needs students. It is my sincere belief that Nahum Marcuse deserves to retain his seat there because of his tireless efforts to represent the needs and desires of the community. As a parent of a special-needs child, Marcus advocates fiercely for all special-needs students. Anyone in that position knows the importance of doing all that can be done to maximize those students’ potential, and those who are not in that position — with all its challenges — be grateful for your gift. On Tuesday, please vote for Nahum Marcus. He is impeccably honest and will do his utmost to fulfill the mandate you give him.

Fay Sladowsky

Lawrence

Supports Marcus for trustee

To the Editor:

My high functioning special-needs child wanted to die a few years ago. My young child used to come home from school, go to bed and wanted to sleep forever.

My child felt misunderstood at school and would lay in a fetal position at the therapist's office wanting life to end. I was told by administrators that my child was using psychology on them and they could not meet my child's needs.

My child was sent to BOCES and was taught at a second- grade level, not grade level. District administrators said they had to teach to the class and if I wanted grade level work, an aide could take over. That aide was not a trained teacher. My child was bullied due to appearance and religion.

I reached out to Rabbi Nahum Marcus whom I was told wants to help all children succeed. He didn't know me but, he immediately came to our rescue and helped my child in ways that nobody ever did. My child was treated like his own. Marcus doesn't prefer any group or sect over any other. His goal is helping children reach their goals.

Due to the kindness and professionalism of Nahum Marcus, my child is happy and loves school. Marcus saved my child's life. My child wants to live forever and has so many aspirations and appropriate friends whom we get together with each week.

My child now says, " Special needs are special and I never want to get rid of mine!" From wanting to die to wanting to live and love school, Nahum Marcus is a hero of the heart and a giant among men. He'll never turn down a child or family in need so, we need to vote for him on May 21. We love him.

Sid Tanenbaum, who lived in Woodmere and owned a metal-stamping shop in Far Rockaway, where he was known more for his charitable ways than his two-handed set shot, has been honored for the past 30 years with a basketball tournament that raises scholarship money for students in the Five Towns.